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Heat stifles mid-week farmers market

Troy Moon, pnj.com 1:54 p.m. CDT August 22, 2014

People shop at the Palafox Market at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza on Palafox Street from Chase to Wright streets in downtown Pensacola. The Wednesday market is no longer operating because of the heat, but the Saturday market will continue.
(Photo:
John Blackie/jblackie@pnj.com
)

You can still get your veggies Saturday at the Palafox Market. But not Wednesdays.

The Palafox Market has ended its Wednesday farmers market because excessive heat has hampered crop production, said Jane Birdwell, spokeswoman for the Downtown Improvement Board, the sponsoring organization. The Wednesday markets were supposed to continue through this Wednesday, but the last midweek market was Aug. 13.

The popular Saturday market still continues year-round, rain or shine.

"Fresh produce is such a huge draw, and because of the excessive heat, some of the farmers had problems with production of the produce. There wasn't enough for Saturdays and Wednesdays, so they just cut Wednesdays a week earlier than scheduled."

The Palafox Market, now in its seventh season, began the Wednesday markets in June.

Birdwell said the DIB could bring back the mid-week market next year, but for now, the focus is on the year-round Saturday market, which attracts more than 100 vendors each week, selling everything from fresh produce to baked goods to sauces, salsas and marinades. There also are arts and crafts vendors at the market.

The heat doesn't affect production of many of the people who make their own sauces and such, but Birdwell said the market depends on fresh produce for success.

"The produce is the rock star," she said. "That's the draw."

Many who attend are repeat customers.

"It's one of my favorite places to go on Saturday mornings," said Natalie Peters, a Pensacola mother who usually attends with her two small children. "It's just a great atmosphere. And I love to come out for the corn and fresh greens."

The Saturday Palafox Market is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. near the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza on Palafox Street.